Creamy and flavorful, truffles coated in cocoa are a snap to put together. These candies were among the treats I prepared for my Christmas 2010 gift giving. They are so easy to make that you may feel guilty accepting all those compliments.
My husband is a big fan of milk chocolate, so these truffles are the kind he prefers. If you prefer something darker, you could use semisweet chocolate instead.
Milk Chocolate Espresso Truffles
Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appétit
- 2 lbs milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup expresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup Kahlúa
- 1 1/2 cups (about) unsweetened cocoa powder
Makes about 72 truffles.
In a double boiler (aka a bowl set over a saucepan) over barely simmering water melt together the chocolate, cream, espresso powder and sea salt.
When this was all melted, the chocolate mixture was a little separated and I was concerned that perhaps we had just wasted a whole lot of chocolate.
but when we took the bowl off the heat and whisked in the Kahlúa, the mixture became glossy…and tasty.
Put the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer until the chocolate is firm (about 4 hours in the fridge or 1 1/2 hours in the freezer).
Sift the cocoa powder into a shallow pan or bowl. Then, using a spoon or small scoop, portion out about one tablespoon of the chocolate mixture. Roll it into a ball between your clean hands and then roll each truffle in the cocoa powder.
Ta da!
Once formed, the truffles can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or two. Let them come to room temperature for an hour or so before serving for best flavor.
These were really easy to make! The rolling into balls part was a major pain in the butt though! The chocolate mostly melts onto your hands. I ended up using plastic wrap so it wouldn’t be quite so yuck. They taste awesome though, and look great, especially after being rolled in the cocoa powder!
Hi Nicole, Famous pastry chef, Gale Gand, once said that she would only assign chefs with cold hands to work on certain tasks. It’s possible that you are blessed with hot hands. Still, there is bound to be a little melting no matter who you are. Nice innovation with the plastic wrap. — Heather
These really look delicious. Would adding a liquor like bourbon, Fragelica or B&B work to provide the different flavors desired? 1/4 cup per pound?
These truffles are quite versatile and you could certainly use different liquors to change the flavor profile. 1/4 cup of any number of liquors would work well, but you may want to use your discretion depending on your taste and the liquor. 1/4 cup of Maker’s Mark will have a much bigger punch than 1/4 cup of Baileys. You could also use other flavorings as well like lesser amounts of extracts and spices.
Those look fabulous! Gotta try this!!
Oh…mamamia…chocolate truffles…Usually I eat dark chocolate truffles..But milk ones seem REALLY good!!!
WOW…. these look divine.. Very nice